GAME NOTES IN PDF FORMAT

GAME STORYLINES
The Wayne State University women's hockey team opens the 2010-11 regular season with a home series against the Bemidji State University Beavers. The puck drops at 7:00 p.m. on Friday and 1:00 p.m. on Saturday at the City Sports Center in Detroit.  Join play-by-play broadcaster Tom Balog on the wsuathletics.com streaming audio broadcast for both contests.

The Warriors played an exhibition game at York University last Friday which resulted in a 6-0 victory. The Beavers earned a 4-2 exhibition win last Friday over the Toronto Jr. Aeros.

After this weekend's series, Wayne State will play its next eight games on the road. The Warriors will head to the state of Minnesota next weekend, Oct. 8-9, to take on the St. Cloud State University Huskies on Friday night and the fourth-ranked University of Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday afternoon.


BEHIND THE BENCH
Jim Fetter is 109-102-22 in his eighth season at the helm of the WSU women's hockey program. He is a three-time College Hockey America (CHA) Coach of the Year and was named Women's Division I Coach of the Year by the American Hockey Coaches Association in 2008.

Steve Sertich, the 2009-10 Western Collegiate Hockey Association Women's Coach of the Year, is in his fifth season as BSU's head coach and holds a career record of 33-93-20.


THROUGH THE YEARS
Wayne State trails Bemidji State, 4-16-2, in the all-time series which dates back to WSU's inaugural 1999-2000 season. The Warriors are 2-8-0 at home against the Beavers, including a 2-1 overtime victory on Oct. 4, 2008, in BSU's last trip to Detroit. The last two series between WSU and BSU have been split, with Wayne State winning the last meeting, 6-1, on Halloween 2009.

This season marks the second time in three years that Wayne State has opened the regular season against Bemidji State and the fourth time in program history.


IN THE POLLS
Wayne State was predicted to finish in fifth place by the CHA head coaches in the 2010-11 preseason poll, while Bemidji State was tabbed for sixth in the WCHA preseason poll.


SCOUTING BEMIDJI STATE
Last season the Beavers not only won their first playoff games in program history, but advanced to the finals of the WCHA Tournament before falling to eventual national champion Minnesota-Duluth. Bemidji State finished 12-19-7 overall and 9-12-7-3 in the WCHA, tying a school record for conference wins.

BSU's top four scorers from last year - forwards Erin Cody (20 goals, 13 assists), Annie Bauerfield (9G, 18A), and Erin Johnson (11G, 7A) as well as defenseman Montana Vichorek (5G, 12A) - are all returning, as is junior goaltender Zuzana Tomcikova, the 2009-10 WCHA Co-Player of the Year. Toncikova won 10 games and posted a 2.06 goals-against average with a .938 save percentage last season.


LAST TIME OUT
In their first competitive action since last year's 3-1 loss to Robert Morris in the quarterfinal game of the CHA Tournament, the Warriors defeated the York Lions, 6-0, in last Friday night's exhibition opener.

Shots on goal favored WSU, 30-19. The Warriors killed all nine penalties they were assessed and scored three power-play goals as well as a short-handed tally by Lauren Ragen.

Julie Ingratta scored twice as part of a three-point night. Jill Szandzik finished with three helpers, while Micheline Frappier and Julie Hebert had a goal and an assist each. Veronique Laramee-Paquette scored WSU's first goal.


WSU SEASON PREVIEW
Click here for a full preview of the 2010-11 Wayne State University women's hockey team.